Team Qhubeka Assos have signed Sergio Henao for the 2021 season. The Colombian joins from UAE Team Emirates, where he spent the past two years.
Henao won Paris-Nice in 2017 and has also won the Colombian national title on two occasions. During his tenure at Team Sky, he helped Chris Froome to overall victory at the 2016 and 2017 Tour de France and the 2018 Giro d’Italia.
“I’m so excited to sign for Team Qhubeka Assos. I look forward to playing a critical role in supporting my teammates at the various races during the season and I can’t wait to take on this new challenge. Importantly though I also want to get good results for my new team and in doing so also inspire future generations,” Henao said in a statement released by his new team.
Henao’s arrival was welcomed by team manager Doug Ryder. “Sergio will be a great addition to our team in the general classification area and we’re looking forward to the impact that he can make with our team next season,” Ryder said. “It’s going to be a great year for us, we’re building a really nice team together with many different cultures and nationalities and I think that diversity is going to be our strength.”
The future of Doug Ryder’s team was in doubt until clothing brand Assos stepped in to help fund the team for the next two years following the departure of title sponsor NTT.
In the wake of that news, European champion Giacomo Nizzolo re-signed with the team for 2021, while Qhubeka Assos have since announced new signings that include Fabio Aru, Simon Clarke, Sean Bennett and Harry Tanfield.
Henao is the 23rd rider to be confirmed on the Qhubeka Assos roster for 2021 and the team said on Saturday that the remainder of its line-up would be confirmed “in due course.”
Speaking to Cyclingnews last month, Qhubeka Assos directeur sportif Lars Michaelsen suggested that the team had “a list of around 100 names” to choose from as they looked to complete their roster for the new season. A number of riders left the squad before the confirmation of Assos’ backing, including Edvald Boasson Hagen, who will ride for Total-Direct Energie next year, and Michael Valgren, who has signed for EF Pro Cycling.
Michaelsen described Henao as a “very valuable team member,” adding: “He’s a double-Colombian champion and obviously spent many years with Team Sky so his wealth of experience is something that the team will hopefully and should profit from.”
